Apple first announced the original Apple Watch back on September 9, 2014. With Apple’s upcoming event occurring exactly 10 years to the day, it’s a good time to reflect on how the last decade has changed wearables and smartwatches forever.
I was skeptical of the Apple Watch at first, as back then, I was using Fitbits and thought, “Why do I need an Apple Watch?” But I eventually caved and got the original Apple Watch in 2015 — and I don’t regret a single thing. It was so much more useful than a Fitbit, as I could take calls on my wrist, get notifications from apps, see my messages, and so much more. All of my original skepticism went away.
I eventually upgraded to the Series 3 and Series 5 before finally getting the original Apple Watch Ultra in 2023, which I’m still using today. Even though it was originally released in 2022, the first Apple Watch Ultra is still an excellent smartwatch.
The battery life remains incredible
One of the big selling points of the Apple Watch Ultra over the standard Apple Watches is the battery life. With the Apple Watch Ultra, you get around 36 hours on a single charge, and double that if you use Low Power Mode.
The Apple Watch Ultra is my primary smartwatch, and I wear it daily without skipping a beat. When I go to bed, I typically end the day with at least 40% to 50% battery remaining before I place it back on the charger overnight.
I also have the Optimized Charge Limit setting enabled, so most days, it only charges up to 80%, which is more than enough to get me through the next day. With this charging limit in place, my first-generation Apple Watch Ultra still has 100% battery health capacity, and it’s over a year old at this point (I got it in the middle of its product cycle, before the Apple Watch Ultra 2 was released).
It is definitely faring better than my launch-day iPhone 15 Pro, which is at 90% battery capacity with 323 charge cycles as of this writing.
The battery life is holding up great on my Apple Watch Ultra, and it’s one of the reasons why I can’t go back to a standard Apple Watch like the Apple Watch Series 9. Even though I still top it off every night, knowing that it can easily last me partly through the next day or two (if something happens that prevents me from charging it up) makes it well worth it.
Reliable durability thanks to titanium
When Apple introduced titanium as a case material on the Apple Watch Series 5, I was intrigued. I’ve always liked how titanium looks, as well as the durability of the metal, so I wanted to see how it would hold up in a smartwatch.
Once I went with the titanium Apple Watch Series 5, I knew I couldn’t go back to aluminum, and I wasn’t a fan of how easily the stainless steel models pick up micro scratches.
I’m the kind of person who can be pretty clumsy — I swing my arm and hands into walls and doors more frequently than I’d like to admit — so that means I need a watch that can withstand those bumps. Surprisingly, the titanium Apple Watches have held up well for me.
I used my titanium Series 5 for three years before moving on to the Apple Watch Ultra. My wrist has had plenty of bumps into the walls and doors of my house, but the overall casing has held up pretty well. And with the Apple Watch Ultra, you can barely notice the scuffs I’ve accumulated from even more bumps.
Apple chose titanium for the Apple Watch Ultra because of its tough durability, which is perfect for rugged outdoor activities and harsh conditions. But for someone like me, who ends up slamming their arm into various objects and surfaces countless times, it can also withstand all that.
The size has grown on me
Before the Apple Watch Ultra, I always went for the smaller Apple Watch size. Why? I worried the larger sizes would look too big, especially since I have smaller wrists.
When I first put on the Apple Watch Ultra, I was a bit taken aback by its large size, but honestly, it just grows on you, and you get used to it over time. Nowadays, the large size doesn’t bother me anymore. Sure, it may look a bit off to others, but I don’t care.
There’s also the practical aspect of a larger display on a smartwatch. Since I got the Apple Watch Ultra, I’ve been using the Modular Ultra watch face, which has become a new favorite. That’s because of the number of complications it can hold (seven), a digital watch face with a second counter, and night mode. I love looking at my wrist and getting all that data in a single glance, which you can’t do on a smaller watch display.
If you were skeptical about the large size of the Apple Watch Ultra, don’t be — there are more pros than cons.
I’m wager to see the Apple Watch Ultra 3
Apple’s iPhone 16 event will happen on September 9, where we’re expecting the iPhone 16 lineup, Apple Watch Series 10, and possibly an Apple Watch Ultra 3.
Though rumors have been relatively light on the third iteration of the Apple Watch Ultra, I’m still eager to see if it will be worth upgrading to this year or if my original Apple Watch Ultra can last another year. I’ve been perfectly fine without Double Tap or having a faster Siri since I never really use it anyway (aside from timers), so I didn’t see a reason to get the Apple Watch Ultra 2.
Even if there aren’t any significant feature changes, if Apple could give us a new color (black titanium, where are you?), that would be enough. Thankfully, we don’t have to wait much longer.